Sunday, December 23, 2007

Yesterday the Lord provided me with some venison. The story of the hunt is interested to me and I hope to you.

I have a very good friend named Daniel. He and I are not established enough to own any land of our own. Our families are poor and we haven't inherited any land that we can hunt on. Now, I don't say this as a complaint, I just think that it adds some detail to the story.

A couple of days ago, Daniel called me to invite me to hunt on a piece of private property that has been basically unhunted during the year. The owner of the property is a relative of a person that Daniel works with. He had arranged the hunt to provide me with a great hunting opportunity.

Daniel's friend doesn't enjoy venison and is a head hunter. He donates his meat to those in need or want of venison. But, he doesn't shoot much. He has a trophy room full of awesome deer that he has shot with his bow, muzzleloader and rifle. He is obviously a very good hunter and a lucky one too. He has hundreds of acres of private land to hunt on. Daniel's friends name is James.

When James hunted this property in the past he had seen tons of does. He said that everytime he hunted the property he had seen 20-30 does and a couple of immature bucks bringing up the rear. He wanted to thin the heard a bit in an effort to manage the properties numbers. We were hunting does yesterday.

Daniel and I set off at 4:45 AM. We arrived at James' house by 5:15 AM and proceeded to his aunts property. We jumped on his 4 wheeler and headed up a mountain. James directed me to his "Honey Hole" with a, "Go this way about 30 yards and look for a set of night eyes. Then turn left and about 7 yards. My ladder stand will be right there."

I tried with all my might to follow his directions in the dark, but was unable to find his stand. I did find a mossy rock to sit on that overlooked a valley below. The wind was perfect at that spot so I sat there figuring that if I didn't do something quick the sun would be up and I would be spooking deer.

About 20 minutes after I sat down I started hearing movement in the valley below. I looked but didn't see anything. I followed the noise until the deer appeared about 100 yards to my left, about halfway up the ridge. I raised my .308 steadied the scope just behind the front shoulder and squeezed the shot off. She responded by running down the hill until I couldn't see her anymore and then she crashed into something below. I could hear her rolling in the leaves and could picture the scene below.

I had committed to siting for at least half an hour before checking for sign. About twenty minutes after this incident another deer arrived and slowly moved up the mountain. I couldn't see it but could hear it. I decided to slowly stand to see if I had a better view. I did and I began to come up with a plan. I would wait until the deer got to a clear area and I would take my shot. The deer seemed to stop just behind a tree and the only shot available was head/neck and butt shot. I considered waiting a bit for a double lung shot but as I waited for what seemed like an eternity I started to realize that this deer caught the scent of its compatriots blood trail. It knew something just wasn't right.

I decided that I would take the neck shot and went about the process of lining up for the shot. I tried to sit for the shot... couldn't see. I stood back up and looked for a tree to lean on nothing that would be of any use. I decided to take the standing shot. I have practice this shot with success and felt that it was a viable option. I squeezed the shot off and watched the deer speed into the woods... I heard what I thought was compelling evidence that the deer had fallen and slammed into a tree in the process.

I waited about 20 more minutes and then went to confirm what I knew was true. I went to where I shot both deer and found nothing in the way of blood. I figured that I would circle the area to find a blood trail. About this time James arrived to help me track the deer. We caught a blood trail and followed it about 30 yards to the first deer... it was a perfect double lung shoot however, I was unable to find a entrance wound just an exit wound. The aorta and lung were reduced to a powdery goo. Seemed to be consistent with my shot placement, but no entrance wound. Weird...

The second deer was a no show. I found where the deer was shot (at) and the trail that it probably took into the woods and then... nothing. I didn't spend much more time searching for the deer as there wasn't any blood sign.

Thank the Lord for the animal he did provide for me. I pray and ask you to do the same, that he would provide me with a few more as our season ends January 6.

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Disclaimer

Please be advised that the content of this site is written as a matter of personal opinion. The advice offered here is not advice from a professional hunter and whoever reads the advice is responsible to verify it's accuracy, legality and safety. Sean Porter accepts no responsibility for other peoples successes or failures, injuries or financial loses. In other words, if I advise something and you go out and do it... you assume the responsibility for your own actions and the outcomes of your actions. Investigate what I say and what anyone else says to be sure it is accurate, legal and safe in your situation. I don't know everything... I am just a regular guy like you. If on the other hand something that I have written can help, then feel free to use it and then please tell me about it. But, what works for me won't always work for everyone else.